Herman's Hermits were never taken seriously, not when they were having hits in the '60s and not in the decades since. This indifference makes Bear Family's decision to release a celebratory 50th Anniversary Anthology all the more surprising: not only is it a rare dip into the British Invasion for the American roots-besotted label, but the act seems too frivolous for their tastes. Sometimes, the double-disc The Best of Herman's Hermits: The 50th Anniversary Anthology does feel a little light, particularly on the earliest recordings when the group is mincing through "Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter," but the set – produced and compiled by Ron Furmanek, who presents all takes in true stereo for the first time (there are eight exceptions to this rule), and annotated by Andrew Sandoval – is smartly assembled, so it gains momentum as it proceeds headlong through its 66 tracks.